Association of Colleges

10 July 2008

The Association of Colleges launched an innovative piece of research at a prestigious ceremony at the House of Commons yesterday (9 July) hosted by David Blunkett.

The research entitled ‘Celebrating Colleges’ celebrates the achievements of colleges who have contributed to the prosperity and wellbeing of the country.

The research into the capabilities of the AoC Beacon award winning and highly commended colleges was commissioned a year ago.

Pat Hood, the research consultant, identified six key capabilities across the winning colleges, including visionary leadership, collaboration, responsiveness and innovation and creativity.

Over 900 Beacon Award winning colleges were researched, and 36 of these are featured in the document to illustrate how colleges provide value for money for learners and for taxpayers.

As well as celebrating the success of the winning colleges, one of the purposes of the research was to demonstrate to government how crucial colleges are in underpinning the economic and social strength of the UK in the future.

Chair of the AoC Beacon Awards, Dame Patricia Morgan-Webb said:

“This research gives the Association of Colleges the opportunity to formally celebrate colleges’ achievements and their contribution to the Further Education system. It provides evidence that colleges can have a real impact on the world around them and other colleges should be inspired to emulate their successes.”

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Contacts:
For more information, photography or to arrange an interview with a spokesperson, please contact Ali McInerney on 020 7299 8740 or Anastasia Scott or email
ali.mcinerney@geronimocommunications.com / anastasia.scott@geronimocommunications.com

FE Facts and Figures

• The research for ‘Celebrating Colleges’ was commissioned by the Association of Colleges to celebrate colleges’ achievements through the previous 15 years of Beacon Awards.

• Over 400 cameos prepared as background to the research will be made available on the AoC website to provide a basis of further research.

• The AoC Beacon Awards programme was established in 1994 under the auspices of the Association for Colleges, at the suggestion of The Partnership Trust.  The Partnership Trust wished to establish an awards programme for the Further Education sector after a similar awards programme for the Higher Education sector proved successful.

• The Awards are open to all further education and sixth form colleges in the UK, unless specified otherwise by the sponsor.  The awards act as a development grant to help realise the full potential of the winning project.

• The Association of Colleges is the representative voice of further education colleges in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

 

 

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